She sits up like she’s surprised. “Does that mean I can still come over to your house?”
I laugh, messing her hair up with my hand, “We’ll ask your mom.”
Hanna comes back into the room with a bowl of macaroni and cheese, and Ellie’s face lights up.
We step away from the couch, near the doors that look out over the backyard. Hanna crosses her arms over her chest as she watches Jet race around the grass, chasing a squirrel. “Do you want to talk about Lainey?”
I hesitate, maybe we should talk about Lainey, but there’s something else that we need to talk about. Something I’m not sure how to bring up.
“I think we should talk about Karly.”
She stares at me with an expression I can’t read. I don’t know if she’s going to cry or scream. I second guess what I’m about to say but let it flow right out, just like vomit. No, worse, word diarrhea.
“I think I’m in love with her.”
Hanna laughs, actually laughs, and to be honest, it kind of pisses me off.
“What is so funny?”
Her smile falls, “You’re serious?”
“Why would I joke about that?”
She gapes at me like she can’t even fathom the thought of Karly and me as a couple. “Wow, I just never expected you to say that.”
“What exactly did you expect, huh? Me to sit around and cry over you for years and wait around for you to realize you made a mistake?”
“A mistake?” She gasps, “I don’t think I made a mistake. I’m sorry, I know it hurts you for me to say that, but….” She trails off.
“It doesn’t hurt like it used to. I’ve realized a lot over the past couple of months.”
“Like what?” She questions.
“Like when I’m with Karly, I don’t think about you.”
She steps back, studying me closely.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly, “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I just mean that when I’m around Karly, it doesn’t hurt so bad.”
“Isn’t that what they call a rebound?” She asks, challenging me.
I push the stool away, hopping off of it, offended.
“You know what… never mind. I thought you would appreciate me coming to you to tell you how I felt. It was a whole lot more courtesy than you ever gave me.”
“Eric—” She starts, but I cut her off.
“People are saying the reason we broke up was that I was sleeping with Karly behind your back when we both know that wasn’t true. I could’ve set the record straight and sent the rumors flooding back in the other direction, but I haven’t. I won’t.”
She pulls back, “I didn’t cheat on you, either.”
I laugh, “You lied. You led me on for fucking months. Hell, YEARS!”
“You lied to me, too!” She argues.
“When? When exactly did I lie? Because if I remember correctly, we hadn’t spoken at all until you showed up at my house.”
She looks at me with tears in her eyes, “She’s my best friend.”